The Sewing Machine Song

good news on Eddie and Denise

Christ mas
Miracles are a part of the greatest story ever lived

Dear Ones
A very exhausted over joyed Denise called to tell us all...
Some how :)
Eddie has full conscientiousness.
He is with us cognitively.
His legs yet effected but the seizures did not take him.

He was sitting before her talking to her.

She with all and deepest gratitude thanks each and every one of you for your prayers.
Pray for her heart.
Her sister was unkind, Denise is wounded by the ill treatment that she was shown.

She is however rejoicing as I have instructed her to let her spirit and mind rejoice and worship but to let her body rest and be still.
She has not slept for several days and has also been ill.
I will keep you updated as I am.
Thank you all
Donetta

Christmas Love Prayer...Eddie and Denise need it

Good Morning A Blessed Christmas
Eddie is alive this Morning your prayers were so embraced.

Update

I just received a call from Denise.
The torment of the last few hours has been excruciating for her.
She discribes the events as the worst thing that she has ever seen.

Her sister arrived last night, she is also a diabetic.
Denise ended up in the ER her blood sugar spiked  and she was vomiting .
As soon as she would ease the same thing began with her sister.
Eddie was in a room and she could not get to him for the ER would not let her.
She convienced them not to admit her and to just let her see her husband and that that would ease her distress.
Eddies blood pressure spiked I mean really spiked!
At one point she got released from the ER and got back to him.
He was awake, unable to walk without a walker.
Dragging his legs.
She saw he was sweating so she got a cloth.
As she turned he said that he felt he was going to vomit and just at the very moment he fell back into her arms and began to seize they called in a trauma team and resesitated him.
She was ask to leave the room to a waiting room where her sister then fell ill to high blood sugar levels and DENISE had to car for her.

I have told Denise to ask a nurse to tell her sister to leave.
Eddies people are coming, I told Denise to have the nurse talk with them and tell them that your strength is limited and to not ask her all the details.
I told Denise that each time she repeats it it is like being punched in the heart.

She has not been able to stay with Eddie, only allowed to go in ever few hours.
He has been sleeping she has not seen him conscious sense before the seizures.

I am tempted to take up a fund and see if we can fly me out there and rent a car to be with her.
Steve has off till the 4th. I would have child care. The funding is an issue. I am in Arizona.
Please continue to pray.
I read several of your comments to her a few moments ago and it really strengthened her spirit.
Thank you all for your continued prayers.
Donetta at A Life Uncommon

Urgent Prayer For Eddie (Love Bug)

Urgent Prayer For Eddie (Love Bug)

I am typing this for Denise of Shortybears Place she is on the phone with me now

Eddie has had a stroke and is in hospital under observation. They were unable to get the stroke medication in time. So far they have done a CAT scan and a MRI and other test are being awaiting . His leg is effected. He is able to speak. This is written at 9:30 p.m. TN time

He is in Memorial Hospital Chattanooga TN. She is alone so if any friends are able please consider coming to her side. He is being moved to room momentarily.


This is written by Donetta of A Life Uncommon and she can be reached through me.

having little gifts to give in your community

click on image to enlarge

The pharmacist, the mail carrier, clerks at the store and all those other folks you see often during the year are often overlooked. Let me show you a way to show them that you appreciate all that they do. Those kindnesses offered on a professional level deserve to be acknowledged.

Here I found some inexpensive findings on a bulk ebay lot.

The boxes are from a clearance rack.

They are for a wedding 50 for $9.00.

Each gift was around .30-50 cents.

The wrapping for the inside is scraps.

The ribbons were on a spool for less than a dollar a 3 yard measure.

Be creative and you will find simple ideas.

Homemade Cloth Napkins for tea

 To match a set of six china place settings I created this napkin set.

By using a grid rotary cutting system they were cut out to a 12 inch square.

The hem lace here is an old fasioned touch to add a bit of feminine charm.

Now normally hem lace is used differently.

This application was a bit of wemcy .

 

 By using a factory style approch time is saved on the job.

One after another just stitch the lace to the edge of the fabric leaving a half inch under the lace. The lace is normally 5/8 inch wide. One after another you do not even need to cut until your at the end of them.

Do this to each edge.

 

Once the edges are turned under twice stitch 

 

 

 The rose stitched onto a corner now press into a purse like so

 

 

 

 

 

 The turning under twice is like so...

Press all the way around then again the second time all the way around turning it full circle twice. It gives the edge time to cool before you turn it the second time.

 

 Pin the lace lice so at the corner

 

 Corners clean up like so.

 

 as you press them check for uniformity this will just make the tale look so nice.

Presentation is 9/10th of the job.

 

 These lady purse napkins will be used for High Tea with the girls.

just for me

My mother gave me this center for many years I have held onto it.

The clasp is magnetic.

It is strung on silk.

Mending an old beloved family quilt

Hello

Do you have some family treasures that need repair.

This old family quilt that was made for my husband by his mother was such a keepsake.

This quilt is the favorite of every member in the family.

Some of the original blocks had worn to threads.

I believe that this quilt was created out of the scraps of shirt fabrics that his mom had made for him as a boy.

To fix old things old must meet old.

Never add  new fabric to an old item.

New fabric will shrink tearing the old even farther.

 After locating an old little boys shirt from those things our son has out grown I cut off all the seams,

sleeves and such. Save the buttons .

Waste nothing.

Place the fabric face down and press the block to size then flip it over and it will fit perfectly.

 

 Yes I did adjust that upper left corner.

:)

By pressing it on the spot the fit is fast and accurate.

Press one edge at a time and alter until it is just so.

While pressing use steam.

 

 One childs shirt did about 10 blocks so I had to go out to the give away and find another suitable shirt to cut up to finish it.

 

Mending your items extends the life.

This a simple thing that is so often in this age ignored to be tossed aside and more oney spent to replace things.

This day I sewed a button on a pair of cordroy pants for me.

A zipper replaced in a pair of skorts , jeans pocket mended, thermals hemmed after I cut off the knit ankle band, two pair of panties mended where the band came off. It was so relaxing.

By sewing two of the wonderful dish clothes my MILove makes me i now have another hot pad.

There was a beautiful pair of plum cords that had lost the zipper pull so I made a new zipper pull instead of replacing the zipper. All in all a large plastic storage box was emptied of the fix it jobs I had not gotten done before now.

I watched Hulu (check it out free tv on line).

All in all a very wonderfully relaxing meditative day.

Happy Thanksgiving Recipe For the Perfect Turkey

• The perfect turkey recipe for people who are not sure how to tell when poultry is cooked thoroughly but not dried out:10-12 lb. turkey
  1 cup melted butter
  3 cups stuffing
  2 cups uncooked popcorn
  salt/pepper to tastePreheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of oven.Listen for popping sounds.When the turkey blows the oven door open and flies across the room, it’s done!

Jewelery for myself

 This is an antique set of cat's eye glass. It is an original that came from an estate of my husbands aunts or cousins of his mom's.

I have had them so many years and they were so poorly strun with no matching earrings to them. they have been boxes.

This week they were strung and a set of earrings to match.

The image does not do them justice they have a very deep luster.

Then just for me to match a sweater I purchased last month...

An autumn set in my  in summer tones.

backed in silver a duel strand...

 

 Lobster claps for ease

The chain stops the issue of it getting tangled in my hair on the nap of my neck.

 

Walla!

Just for me.

Finding good balance at this type of strand is a trick.

It must be strung and not finishe at the end until after it hangs.

The trick is similar to hemming a dress that the fabric needs to relax over night.

Leaving give for the curve and using two cable lengths keeping them from crossing when center finding is passed through.

 

Asymmetry is key to balence it.

Asymmetry has always been hard for me to feel.

This sits very pretty on my neck with a V neck top.

It is acrylic except the glass leaves and the sterling silver.

Acrylic helps keep this type of work light weight.

They can become heavy with other types of medium.

In process

By letting it hang and setting it to form the wire will tell the length and the balance between the four strands. You can not go by count alone.

 

That neck line really is not that plunging.

The display and I have well... different endowment.

Collage

Collage  is an art form of inner expression of emotion or themed idea.

Things that are calming or peaceful to me.

 

The floor is another thing

:)

click to enlarge

A New Look

The Studio is being reorganized and redecorated.

As well as this blog.

I needed a change of colors in the studio and on this blog.

Storage

This is a storage system I began some 20 years ago.
being raised not to just toss anything out. I learned to sort and save the scraps.
Many a quilt has come from here.
Often I have a need for a small scrap of color or texture and this is where I go.
The boxes are labeled and are at my left hand now if I turn around from the machine and at my right hand if working at the cutting table.
In these containers can be found lace, elastic, ribbons, felt, fabric scrap by color,unfinished projects, leather and so on.

Nursery Under the Sea

My Nephew loved the ocean.
As a child my sister took him snorkeling and it was the favorite times of his too short lived life.
So for the baby I made some things to go with the amazing nursery that my Sister set up and sewed and sewed for him.
This was an idea I had for the mom.
It goes under the mattress and hangs off the side of the bed.
I hid a clown fish in the large pocket to symbolize the presence of the unseen.

It is batted and the bottom edge was trimmed with a gathered edge of a green fabric that looked like fish scales. I forgot to get an image of the finished product.

This is moms pillow. I was not able to get the other two pillows completed.
The back of it is the orange of the big buttons.
It is zippered so it can be washed if needed.
I thought with them in a studio it might be nice for his mom to have a bit of matching decor.

This is the big gift

The Mobil

Often when I create I see an image and then just go with it and it flows.
Very seldom does the finished item start with it as a pattern set.
It flows as I create it. I'll find myself thinking on theme and then ideas pop at funny times and then I will implement then at the next chance I get to walk by it.

The gold chain to me was to add a value as in it is to me a treasure to hold the memories of my nephew , his name Jason.

Now the buttons were a thought of when I have fished I used weights to set line.
I felt the lines needed weight to set the spin.
"Spin" led me to go to my fishing findings that I use for jewelry making.
The spinners were just the thing and they too were of "gold" so to speak a precious thing...as is my memories of Jason.
Making this nursery was particularly hard for both myself and Jason's Mother too.
It had to be somewhat excruciating for her.

Any how... The idea of being in a box...
A box was the foundation to heat bond the fabrics too.
The top of the box is in a fabric that my sister used on the main nursery that is very close. The trim used here is the boarder off of the pillow blocks. It was a perfect use.

(the beads well they just had to be in there)
I spotted the Nemo fusible beaded trim the day we went to the fabric store together. I had the other fabric for some time...funny as in strange...it was the perfect match for his nursery. See the spinners. All the ends were hand stitched the machine just did not do a good job here and to me the art is often in the detail. If the detail is nice than it does not distract the focus of the creative artistic expression.
The buttons can be shifted to balence the mobile.
The clips used to hold the tendrils onto the moble were used so that if it gets pulled on hard they will let free without damaging the mobile and then they can just get clipped back on. Or in the futrure can be used elswhere.

A large swivel used at the top to help with the movement.

Now as you might think along with me a person under the water who loves the beautiy of the sea...well lets just say catch and release.
So again the findings were tackle.

With a big issue of grief the first pillow I made was the worse sewing I have ever done!
I could not sew a zipper to save my life...I could not save his life either...my neiphew commited suicide early this year...It was so good to get the grief processed...out of that distruction I found all the beauty I could and made good use of it.
By cutting out the fish and fusing the fabic to a backing I made the fish for the mobile.

My photograph blurred like the vision blured by my own tears I finished the moblile just in time to go to the party.

I signed the back of the blue fish.

Under the sea of loss is found a new life.
A little baby boy was born the next morning after the shower and he is healthy as is his mother.
Creation as in art of any form is a process of emotion.
This time is was grief, anger, loss, pain sorrow.
One day joy.
For this little baby the joy of his birth will be a restoritive force for my sister his grandmother.
I also hope for the joy of his Mom too.
There was no marriage the baby has my neiphews name with a first name before it.

Leather tooling post to come. for the boys and men folk

These are key chain coin holders.
I will be tooling them as personal gifts.
I found a set of leather working tools years back.
Us old timers used good tools so whenever you can find a nice tool grab it.
Tools are a rich treasure.
A good tool is worth its weight is gold for with it you can withhold... your gold... by making things yourself.

Beading them for a gift from my heart.

Copper/Brass with glass

Good Day to ya
Christmas coming on fast now I best keep to many tasks
Many gift to create.

Today the design is carried out from the form I can see in the glass

I find copper a very pretty metal. I had to use these bad boys to close the links for the strength of the brass is very substantial.

This is a technique that I enjoy called rosary work.
Only this is on a large scale.
The delicacy of most rosary work uses fine linking.
I snipped off the eye pin and then formed a larger eye to accommodate the brass ring.

The set is still in the creative phase.

Altered findings bracelet

Sometimes it is fun to play with a concept design for a new look.

Cats eye round beads will be replaced I think with a flat bead for more comfort.

Reading my bi-monthly beading magazine I came across and article on bending findings around large beads...made me think what if I bent them around my wrist to form a bracelet .
I have a few design flaws to shake out but I really like it.

Bia sleveless finished edge

After setting all week on the machine I finally got to the end stretch of a blouse I was making.

Baste or do a wide stitch around the hole.
When finishing a sleeveless top use bis tape like so
Open it up half way and then press only half open use care.

My machine is able to shift the need side to side
first stitch 1/4 seam...
turn and press keep the bias fold in tact

stitch the bias tape down close to it's edge
Now carefully remove the basted thread

a clean edge
very easy..
You can do it, the easiest of sleeves

give it a final press...

My husband was making me laugh...

A new top!
I wish you could make out the detail.
It is gathered to the right
A zipper to the left